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PATENT VEDW'ARD S. PIPER, OF TORONTO, CANADA.

RAILWAY SIG NAL-FLAG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 492,229, dated February21, 1893. Application filed April 6, 1892. Say'al No. 428,103. (Nomodel.) Patented in Ganada May J1, 1892,1lo. 33,919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD SPENCER PI- PER, of the city of Toronto, inthe county of York, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented acertain new and Improved Railway Signal-Flag, of which the following isaspecification, and for which I have obtained Letters Patent of theDominion of Canada, dated May ll, 1892, and numbered 38,919.

The object of the invention is to provide a practically indestructiblerailway signal iiag which may be permanently connected to alocomotive orthe end of acar and always ready for use either as a dangeriag, cautionflag or set so as not to indicate any signal at all, and it consists,essentially of metal leaves of suitable size and design hinged to aspindle and arranged to be adjusted with one another so that the coloredsurface, to give the desired signal, may be exposed while the color forthe other signal is hidden; substantially as hereinafter moreparticularly explained and then definitely claimed.

Figure l, is a perspective view of my improved'lag with its leavesclosed. Fig. 2, is a perspective view of Fig. l with the leaves opened.Figs. 3 and fl are similar views of my improved flag made in the form ofa banner.

Every railroad man knows that the flag carried by a locomotive or on theend of a train to signify the following of another train, soon getsdestroyed and is often lost through the necessity of removing it fromits position when not required for use. By the adoption of my improvedflag, which, being made of metal and capable of being folded so as notto expose the signal at all, enables it to be left always in position,and when it becomes at all Worn may be readily refurbished bya coat ofpaint.

Figs. l, and 2, illustrate my improved flag made the shape I think mostsuitable for use on a locomotive, and Figs. 3 and 4, the shape I thinkmost appropriate for the end of a train.

The spindle A, of the rst style of flag is provided with an end to tinto the kind of socket usually adopted.

It will be observed that my improved iiag is composed of three leaves,having their surfaces painted so that when folded together, as indicatedin Figs. l and 3, the surfaces exposed on both sides of the dag shall bethe same; for instance in Fig. 2, the leaves B, and O, are being foldedagainst the leaf D, so as to show the outer or White surface of the saidleaves which are held together by the hinged clamp E, which may be madeas shown in Figs. 1, and 2, or in Figs. 3 or 4, or infact the said clampmay be made in various ways, so I do not confine myself to anyparticular style of clamp. The surfaces of the leaves B, C, and D, arepainted so that they can be folded to expose two red surfaces, two whitesurfaces or two black surfaces, which latter of course is intended tosignify that the signal is not in use.

I do not confine myself to any particular color, the whole object oftheinvention being to construct the iiag so that any desired signal maybe exposed or hidden as desired.

In the second style of flag shown, a rod is attached to one of theleaves of the flag and has its end adapted to lit any desired form ofsocket in use.

What I claim as my invention isl. A signal flag, provided with multiplexleaves secured to the same staff and opening and closing like the leavesof a book, substantialiy as described.

2. An improved signal flag, consisting ofa series of two or more leaves,all hinged to the same spindle and on the same plane, whereby one willhide the color of the other, and afastening, E, to hold the leaves inthe position desired, substantially as described.

Toronto, March 17, 1892.

EDWD. S. PIPER.

In presence of- A. M. NEFF, J. EDw. MAYBEE.

